Kuantan:Pahang Community-level development must be prioritized in Pahang's state development agenda to ensure economic progress and the provision of basic infrastructure meet the needs of all societal segments.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail emphasized the importance of this approach to ensure that low-income groups and rural residents are not excluded from development benefits. He highlighted the necessity of evaluating state-level development data alongside actual district and community conditions to identify service gaps and address residents' needs effectively.
Wan Rosdy underscored that the priority of state development should be to strengthen basic infrastructure, enhance workforce skills, and ensure service delivery reaches target groups. His remarks were delivered through a speech read by Pahang State Works, Transport, and Health Committee Chairman Datuk Seri Razali Kassim at the launch of the East Region Targeted Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Programme 2026 at The EAST Paya Besar.
Wan Rosdy also mentioned that the SDG Roadmap and Voluntary Local Review (VLR) by the Kuantan City Council, in collaboration with Urbanice Malaysia, could play a crucial role in identifying service gaps and determining focus areas. The 2024 SDG Indicator Report indicates that Pahang has achieved 100 percent electricity supply access, 97.3 percent Internet usage, and 98 percent access to safely managed drinking water services.
He further stated that economic growth should translate into job opportunities, increased income, and broader business opportunities for the community. Wan Rosdy expressed hope that cooperation between the state government, the East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC), educational institutions, and entrepreneur development agencies will continue to ensure the successful implementation of the SDG agenda, thereby providing tangible benefits to the public.
This collaboration aims to expand access to training, services, and income-generating opportunities to enhance the well-being of residents.